Do YOU Eat Your Vegetables, too?
We ask our kids to try them. Some parents bribe them, and some make them. But that’s not very fair! The CDC reports that 90% of adults do not eat adequate amounts of vegetables (and fruits!). (1) So what is stopping you from eating vegetables on a daily basis? Of course, there are some people (a small percentage) with valid reasons as to why they eat inadequate amounts, but for most us, it is their taste. (We know it’s not the lack of appetite and intake, as more than half of Americans are overweight from excess caloric intake!)
This is a probably not a surprise to most, but eating vegetables is the key to a healthy diet. Research consistently reports that eating vegetables is good for you. They help prevent many diseases including cardiovascular diseases and cancer. They are chocked full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and fiber; and many have protein and healthy, complex carbs to help fuel your muscles. They are also the key to the most successful dietary patterns and meal plans that help with weight management! (2)
But why do most Americans still struggle to eat their veggies?
Competition
First of all, it’s hard to compete with the taste and preference for processed foods that usually have added salt, sugar, and flavor enhancers. Humans have survived off plants and animals forever, but it is safe to say nature never intended for the french fry to be the top source of vegetables in the American diet. It is hard for any vegetable in its original form to compete for the winning taste compared to its fried, salted, or sweetened counterpart, or most processed foods for that matter. Vegetables can be delicious in their original “package,” and they can also be enhanced with cooking and seasoning. Maybe we are asking for a little too much flavor from our foods nowadays, and vegetables have a tough time keeping up with that. Just eat them for what they are and enjoy them the best way you can! (Be especially careful with babies and toddlers - you are really asking for a lot when you want them to eat Brussel sprouts after mac-n-cheese!)
Cost
Another common reason reported is that they cost more than processed foods. It may seem that way at some stores, but a savvy shopper can find affordable vegetables, too. Americans spend more money on much less healthy foods, convenience foods, and at restaurants. (3) The cost of healthy food, vegetables included, is a quick reason (excuse?) for an unhealthy diet. With a little effort, most can afford to eat more vegetables. Most importantly, the money (and time) spent on them is money WELL spent, as they help sustain your hunger with fiber and nutrients, keeping your appetite at bay. (4) They are also a health investment and healthcare cost savings, along with enhancing your quality of life! So eat vegetables with your meals - or before or at the start of your meal, to make sure you get them in. Buy them local, fresh, frozen, canned, non-organic or any which way - just get going!
Taste
Let’s be honest though, it usually comes down to taste. Americans have a way of doing what they want, and eating what tastes good. We spent over $200 BILLION last year on fast food - and it is safe to say it was not on salads! Vegetables obviously do not taste quite as good (to most) as other foods in the market. Again, they are basic in their original form, and many even taste quite bitter to some. They have naturally occurring (and super healthy) phytochemicals, along with calcium, which can taste bitter - and stronger for some more than others. BUT! there is good news! You really can get used to it! Recent research out of the University of Buffalo shows that we can actually get a better taste for the bitter in vegetables, by just trying them. After trying bitter vegetables multiple times (which there is no magic number), your saliva will make a protein to help cancel the bitter flavor. (5) So this old wives’ tale really has some truth in it - you have to try them to learn (or teach your body) to like them!
So, in summary, EAT MORE VEGETABLES! We all know how good they are for us. We all know we should eat more. It’s the number one thing you can do to improve your diet and probably your weight, if that’s your concern. It is easier and healthier to add more vegetables to your diet, than to go “on a diet”!
Check out the MyPlate.gov guide for about how many vegetables you should be aiming to eat, daily:
https://www.choosemyplate.gov/vegetables
For more information or help on how you can improve your diet - and eat more vegetables - contact Nutribridge llc today!
(1) https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p1116-fruit-vegetable-consumption.html
(2) https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/vegetables-and-fruits/
(3) https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/42902/56772_eb27.pdf?v=0
(4) https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutrition/pdf/rtp_practitioner_10_07.pdf
(5) https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/07/190724111114.htm